Barefoot Around the House

Have you walked outside barefoot yet this season?  The soft spring grass feels like heaven beneath your feet.  One of my favorite childhood memories is running barefoot in my grandparents perfectly manicured soft, green, rock-and-sticker-free yard.  I can close my eyes and remember how free I felt.

If I could have grass on the floor inside my house, I would! 

But obviously this isn’t practical, so I have 100-year-old hardwood floors instead.  They came with the house, and  I love them.   They suit our country lifestyle and are easily cleaned with my groovy robot vacuum cleaner! 

Recently several of my clients have been in the mood to replace carpeting, , install hardwood flooring, or make other “spring cleaning” changes.  They always ask my opinion about which product should go where.

One always has to consider the product’s wear and tear factor for the space it will cover.  Obviously you don’t want carpet in your entrance area from the garage, or tile on your bedroom floors...unless you live in Key West.

I checked in with the lovely Jocelyn Paxson at one of my favorite local flooring retailers, Dalton Carpet.  She gave me some new information on today’s flooring options with a spin on what is considered “green” (although not as green as grass!). 

Here are Jocelyn’s suggestions:

• Bamboo has become one of the leading eco-friendly alternatives to the ever-popular hardwood floor.  Its unique appearance is usually what catches the eye of the consumer first.  Another advantage is its extreme density, which is almost double the hardness of red oak.  Add in its rapid renewability, and it makes Bamboo a top choice for "green" flooring. 
•  Cork- is another favorite renewable flooring choice among homeowners.  This is because of its natural beauty and superior sound and temperature insulation. Cork is comprised mainly of air, making it an excellent sound reducer. A little-known fact is that cork is inherently fire and mold resistant, which makes it a superb choice for allergy sufferers.
• Recycled carpet- Carpet made from post-recycled consumer goods became increasingly popular in 2010, and you will continue to see this in 2011. Carpet can be made from several different products including plastic bottles, recycled textiles and discarded carpeting. Most manufacturers are becoming part of the green movement by offering recycled carpeting.
• Concrete- The use of concrete flooring as an integral part of design is going to continue to be on the rise this year.  In addition to conserving materials, concrete flooring offers many other benefits, such as better energy efficiency and improving indoor air quality.  Concrete can be stained with acid, stamped, colored, patterned and more to create an aesthetically pleasing floor.

With these helpful hints from Jocelyn, within the last two weeks I have recommended bamboo flooring for my client’s dental office waiting room, carpet from recycled fibers to a couple seeking new carpet throughout their 15-year-old home, and cork for a neighbor’s porch-turned-family room.

If you are pondering new flooring in your home, consider wear and tear, cleanability, comfort, sound quality, and beauty.  Creating your beautiful space starts from the ground up.

Jocelyn and other professionals will be happy to help you narrow down your choices, give you a price quote, and let you take home some samples.

“These are just a few of the hot trends in flooring for 2011," Jocelyn said.  "Whether you prefer hardwoods, carpeting or other types of floor covering, your green choices are abundant - hopefully proving that there are many ways to keep your feet, and the planet, happy.”